Have you ever wondered if there is an easier way to market your business? Are you time poor and overwhelmed by all the marketing choices? Do you struggle to get marketing momentum?
Effective marketing is the fuel that will make your business growth unstoppable. But the reality is that most of us are not born marketers. To many, marketing is a necessary evil that they struggle to find the time for.
So how do you put together a marketing plan which is both time efficient and effective? Let me share the 5 essential marketing strategies I believe you should be using.
PLAN
We know the importance of a plan but have you ever wondered what is the easiest way to create one?
Your plan must have 3 outcomes:
1. Position your business (or you) in the marketplace;
2. Attracts the desired number of new leads; and
3. Consistently communicate your message.
Your plan doesn’t need to be a complex 30-page document. But it must answer three questions….
1. What is the number of prospects required?
2. Who are these prospects? What are their characteristics, demographic, psychographic and behavioural profiles? ; and
3. How will you attract them?
Only once you have a picture of “what” and “how” can you decide “how.”
Reverse engineer your outcome with the simplest plan possible.
Planning isn’t the easiest task but it is is the most valuable. It’s essential to dedicate planning time. Not just for your marketing but for all the significant aspects of your business.
Planning doesn’t have the same instant gratification as diving into tasks. But a well thought out plan will save you both time and money.
POSITION
Expert and authority positioning are hot strategies right now. But you can’t just claim your expertise. However if you have a genuine depth of skills, knowledge and experience in getting results then it’s important to let your prospects know.
Have you ever wondered how to create a compelling profile or description of business?
There are a few things that you need to ensure. Firstly you want the reader or listener to have clarity about what you do. That includes both your specialty and niche. Avoid using words for which the reader has no reference point. You want them to understand who you are.
Second, ensure you include the basis of your authority. Is it from qualifications? Awards? Industry experience? Results? Or your “A Class” client list?
Third, you need to communicate that you understand the challenges your market faces. In other words you know what they want or need. And it should explain how your business addresses those challenges.
Finally you want to bring some heart and passion to your positioning. Simon Sinek said “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” What is your Mission? Why do you do what you do? And what results can your clients or customers expect?
A well-crafted communication leaves no doubt as to your positioning. This is an area that many struggle with so it’s definitely worth spending time on this. It will help increase your magnetism to your ideal client.
PREMIUM
The population of Australia is less than one tenth of the USA. Australian businesses have a far smaller pool to fish in. Strategies based on low-priced products and high volumes are hard to make work.
A premium quality, premium price strategy is going to achieve superior results. And you will need fewer clients to achieve your goals.
Notwithstanding anything else, price drives perception. Being the cheapest “premium” provider is something that will just confuse your market.
In every business there are some clients who want “premium.” they are also willing to pay for it.
Buy tickets to a concert and you will be offered premium “up close and personal” and “VIP” experiences. Could you create these experiences in your business?
PUBLISH
We live in a time when “publishing” has never been so easy. You can publish your own book or even have your own online TV or radio show with just a few clicks.
Should you be “publishing”? The answer is yes!!! The first step in any marketing is to attract your ideal audience. Publishing will help you do this.
So what do you publish?
Killer content! Things that build trust. Things that help your customers and clients. Think of it as gift-giving. When we give gifts that help our market we build both trust and goodwill. Contribution is King (and Queen!).
But it’s important that you are consistent. Imagine if our favourite TV programs were scheduled ad-hoc. How frustrating would that be? The same applies to our fans. They want consistency. Consistency builds momentum. And momentum builds sales.
Develop a Content Calendar that is a combination of curated and original content. Show your expertise and share your knowledge. A good Content Calendar is the starting point of a successful marketing funnel.
PROMOTE
The final strategy I want to discuss is promotion.
Promotion is all about leverage. It’s about leveraging your reach and your content. And there are 2 strategies that can really fire up your marketing.
The first is developing marketing partnerships with others.
The best advice is to choose carefully. It’s critical that your values are aligned. When you find the right partners you gain access to a whole new world of potential clients. It’s a strategy that can result in rapid growth with very little marketing dollars.
The second strategy is advertising. The accessibility of affordable advertising on social media platforms has been a game changer. For just a few dollars you can access the world. But you need to invest in either using experts or learning how to do it yourself. Running ads without the skills or knowledge is like driving a car when you don’t know how. It is dangerous for everyone!
Social media advertising offers so many benefits. If you are ignoring these advertising opportunities you are leaving money on the table.
These are just a few key strategies to help you demystify your marketing. Without effective marketing your business will plateau.
Many business owners do not dedicate the required time. They fail to prioritise their marketing strategy or get overwhelmed by the options. Ensure that you are regularly reviewing and implementing your strategy.
The best advice of all is to keep it simple, be consistent and contribute to your market.
Anthea 🙂
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My name is Anthea Horvat. I am a Business Strategist and Mentor. I am also the founder of Business Fusion and the Business Masters Club. I specialise in helping Australian, established, service based business owners to increase their profitability, scalability and saleability.I help them to create their ultimate business.
Over the last 15 years I have had the pleasure and honour of personally mentoring over 2,200 Australian business owners to create their ideal business. I believe that life is too short to be stuck in a business delivering mediocre financial rewards and lifestyle.
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